Advertising device



5 Sheets-Sheet l May 3, 1932. J. N. THOMAS ADVERTISING DEVICE Filed NOV-, 1l, 1930 May 3, 1932 J. N. THOMAS ADVERTISING DEVICE Filed Nov. 1l, 1930 .3 Sheetsl-Sheet 2 grs/vento@ f//t .0 A fr 1 f J. N. THOMAS May 3, 1932.

ADVERTISING DEVICE Filed Nov. ll, 1930 3 Sheets-Sheet "F- Fl..

Patented May 3, 193,2

u sraras eliilelll FFICEy :frzj- JOHNN. THOMAS, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, ASSIGNOR TO MAY OIL BURNER COR- s PORATION, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, A CORPORATION OF kMARYLAND AnvnRfrIsiuoynnvronv Application led November 11, 1930. Serial No. 494,929.

The pr-esent invention relates to improvements in advertising devices, and particularly toan advertising or display device for promoting sales of oil or other burners for heating furnaces.

According to the invention, a simple and inexpensive means is `provided for the purpose of advertising an oil or other fuel burner for heating furnaces, which will simulate the interior of the fire box ofa heating furnace representing the flame from the fuel burner.

" In the accompanying drawings: v

Figure 1 is a view in perspective of one form of advertising device. f

kFigure 2 is a view in fied/form ofhousing. K

Figure 3 is a view in verticalsection on substantially the line 33 of FigureQ, lookperspective of a modiing inthe directionr of the arrows.

Figure 1 is a view in horizontal-section on ing in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 5 is a View in vertical section on substantially the line 5--5 of Figure 8, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring to the drawings, in the several views of which like parts are designated by the same reference characters, A designates an 'oil or other fuel burning apparatus which includes a rotary fan or blower within a suitable housing, the outlet from which communicates with a blast conduit A.

The display device of the present invention which isintended for use with a burner of the type referred, to comprises a housing which may be made of any suitable material,

substantially the linev 4-#4 vof FigureQ, look which housing has the' appearance of a more or less complete heating furnace.

' One of the vertical walls 1 of thehousin is provided'with representations of the doors commonly provided on the fronts of such furnaces, such as a fuel supply door 2 and clean-out doors 3, and the portion of the front where the ash pit doorl is commonlylocated is closed'by a plate el, in Ywhich is formed an opening that receives the outlet or blast pipe A of the burner A.

The housing-also includes a side wall 10 .in which is formed anl opening 11, through which the interior of the housing may be perceived. Preferably, the viewing aperture 11 is surrounded by inwardly directed flangelike members 12, which, as shown, l are marked, as at 13, to have the appearance of la brick lining in the furnace.

Acovering 14 of any suitable translucent material extends across the aperture 11.

lf the housing comprises four vertical walls, it will be understood that apertures 11 may be formed in both of the sidewalls, and in any event, the housing is provided with a top or ceiling member 15 arranged in a plane above the inspection aperture or apertures 11, and so as not to be visible through said apertures.

A suitable outlet for air delivered into the casing is provided in one of the vertical walls or in the top, and this may, if desired, be in communication with a flue representing the smoke pipe of the furnace.

The Walls of the housing may support water gauges, pressure devices, or other attachments such'as usually found on heatingy furnaces or representations of such devices.

Vfithin the housing is arranged a vertical screen 16 preferably made of fabric, and which may, if desired, be marked to represent, when properly illuminated, iiames such as are produced by the'combustion of fuel in the tire box of a furnace. This screen is supported at its top and bottom edges by being attached to parallel frame members 20, 21, but is stretched taut except along its edge, which extends directly across the opening provided in the housing to receive the air blast conduit from the burner A, and when the fan orimpeller of the burner is in motion, the currents of air directed against such free edge will causethe body of the screen to undulate, so that as viewed through the aperture 11, there is created a vivid representation of flames, such as are produced in the fire box of a furnace by the combustion of fuel. f

Preferably the portion of the forward edge of the screen 16, which is directly in alignment with the opening forthe air blast con` duit is reinforced or stiffened by a suitable member 22, which, acted upon by the currents of air, causes practically the entire the screen. 'Asshowm this means comprises tion as a center.

screenl to undulate from such reinforced sec- AIn the lower portion of the housing, below the plane of the aperture, or apertures l1, is arranged a suitable means for illuminatingan electric lamp, or lamps, 25, the rcable 26 4from which leads to a suitable source of current.

"Itisnot necessary that the housingbe prol vided with' abottom as Ythe klower edges of Y' the verticalwalls thereof can restupo'n the ioor of a display room, or, if preferred,

upon any suitable baseorsupport. y

The screen 16 may becolored, or the re quisite coloringinay. bev produced by em-A ploying :colored bulbs for the'illuminatingi devices, orfboththese AeXpedients'm'ay be y ems .theappended claiins, theinventi'on is netto' Ybe' understood as llmitedto't'he exact details The term housingia employed inthe claims v is intended'to include any arrangement of vertical walls Vand :a ceilingslike member, it'

' material:andthe'partscanbe'ofknoclr-down f relatively small space or .be erected beingonly necessary thatI two ofthe verey tical"wall's'=represent, respectively, the front andal Vside'ofa heating-furnace' or portionsy thereof;V f A The housingmay be made of'any suitable oonstructiom'or so detachably'connectedfthat they canzbe foldedv or packed to occupy` a v into the relations shown in the drawings. Y u It will'ba-understood that the'translucent covering' le of the aperture 11 is such that whilef'the screen" within'thev housing is not clearly visible, yet an observer can-perceive the undulations ot such screen produced by theair'blast and the appearance oiame Willbe simulated.' i Y .I claim:

' 1 l.v` lnan advertising'device, the combination .oit`v ayhousing simulating-.the appearance ofthe yfire boxfportion of. a'heatingfurnace' and provided with an aperture through which theinterior thereof maybe perceived vand?'.havingfin aV vertical walll an aperture l adapted .to'receive'fan air blast conduit, said housingfhaving also an air outlet, a transiti-- cent closure orsald perception aperture, ar non-r-igld-'screen within thehousing having a Y lated by suchl air,

Vrelatively taut edge exposed to air lsupplied through the blast conduit aperture, whereby the screen will be lundulatedby said'` air blasts, .and means for Y illuminating' V.the

screen. y

2. In an advertising device, the'jconibinration of a housing, two ofthe vertical walls `of which simulate respectively, the exteriorv of the front and a side wall of a heatingfurf nace, the portion of the 'front'representing an ash pitdoor'having formed'therein'an opening adapted to receive an air blast conduit and the: side wall being provided with an aperture,.atranslucentclosure for the last said aperture, the housing' having also an air outlet, .afabric screenpositionedjvertically withf in the'. housingwith vits ifrontedg'e; in thewpath:

of .air supplied through said' gopenin'gin' the front wall,` andl means? fori illuminatingtheg screen. Y Y y A 3: In; an n advertisingdevice, the' combination of a housing, .two otthefvertical.walls of: which simulaterespectively, the'exterior. of;

the front and afsidezwall'fof a: heatingfur;

nace, the lportion ofthe fronti representingan ashpit door having ormedthereinan open#- ing adapted toreceiveV an air-'blast conduit andthe side wall being providedfwi-th'an aperture, a vtranslucent' Closure: forthe last said aperture, the' housing thavingfalso an air outlet, a non-rigid screen.positionedv'e edges with its freefont edgein the'ppathfoi': air supplied through saidI openingf'in the front wall,-and' means for. illuminating the "ashpit door havingv formed therein anopen ingadapted to receive anl air y'blast conduit land the side-wall r.being providedv with an4 aperture, flange-like members extending' in;- ward from the marginal edgesor""the last-f said aperturev and h'alvingftheir exposedfaces marked yto` represent brick, a 'ti"anslucent4 closure for saidaperture'inthe'sidewall, a fabric screen positionedfvertically1 within the housing with its front. edge' ini the. path of air entering througli'saidaopening Vinthe frontV wall, wherebythe screenf will fbe unduandV means for illuminat1` ing the screen.' f .L 5, In an advertising-device, the combina'- tion with a housingv havingzin anend wall' an opening adapted toreceive'an air blast .conduit and havingrin'fa side wall anaperture through which theinter-ior of the/housing maybe perceived, the housing'being further provided with an openingfor-tlie escapeof air therefrom, a translucent closurefor; the aperture in the side: wall "off the housing,"Y a

vtica-lly within the casing. and .supported `throughout the length of: its topandbottom;

non-rigid screen, provided with markings representing llames, supported within the housing with one edge extending vertically across the air blast conduit opening, and

duit and in a side wall an aperture through which the interior of the housing may be perceived, the housing being further provided with an opening for the escape of air, a translucent closure for the aperture in the side wall of the housing, a fabric screen, provided with markings representing flames,

` supported within the housing and extending across the said opening in the side wall with an edge extending across the air blast conduit opening, and means for illuminating said screen.

7. In an advertising device, the combination of a housing, two of the vertical walls of which simulate respectively, the exterior of the front and a side wall of a heating furnace, the portion of the front representing an ash pit door having formed therein an opening adapted to receive an air blast conduit and the side wall being provided with an aperture, a translucent closure for the last said aperture, the housing having also an air outlet, a fabric screen positioned vertically within the housing with its front edge in the path of air supplied through said opening in the front wall, means for reinforcing the front edge of the screen in direct alignment with the opening for the blast air conduit, and means for illuminating the screen.

8. In an advertising device, the combination of a housing, two of the vertical walls of which simulate respectively, the exterior of the front and a side wall of a heating furnace, the portion of the front representing an ash pit door having formed therein an opening adapted to receive an air blast conduit and the side wall being provided with an aperture, a translucent closure for the last rsaid aperture, the housing having also an air outlet, a fabric screen positioned vertically within the housing with its front edge in the path of air supplied through said opening in the front wall, and means within the housing below the plane of said aperture in the side wall for illuminating the screen.

`9. In an advertising device, the combination of a housing, `one verticalwall of which simulates the exterior of the front of a heating furnace,theportionofsaidwall representing an ash pit door having formed t ierein an openingadapted to receive an air blast con` supplied through said opening for an air blast conduit, and means for illuminating both faces of the screen.

lO. In an advertising device, the combination of a housing closed at the top and having one of its vertical walls simulating the exterior of a portion of the front of a heating furnace, a side wall of the housing having an opening formed therein, a translucent closure for such opening, a non-taut fabric screeny arranged vertically within the housing and provided with markings representing flames, and means for illuminating said screen.

l1. In an advertising device, the combination of a housing closed at the top and having one of its vertical walls simulating the exterior of a portion of the front of a heating furnace, a side wall of the housing having an opening formed therein, a translucent closure for such opening, a non-taut fabric screen arranged within the housing, means for illuminating said screen, and a fuel burner including a blower, the outlet of which extends through the wall of the housing simulating the front of the furnace for undulating said screen.

,12. In an advertising device, the combination of a housing simulating exteriorly a furnace and provided with an aperture through which the interior thereof may be perceived and with an aperture to receive an air blast, a flange projecting inwardly from the edge of said aperture, a screen designed to give the effect of flame within the housing and perceptible through said aperture and so disposed as to be undulated by a blast of air through the blast aperture, and means for illuminating said screen disposed at one side of 'said flange and out of the normal line of vision through said aperture.

13. In an advertising device, the combination of a. housing provided with an aperture through which the interior thereof may be perceived and with an aperture to receive an air blast, a screen within the housing perceptible through said aperture and so disposed as to be undulated by a blast of air through the blast aperture, and means to disperse the air currents so that they will act screen to disperse the air currents so that they will act with substantial uniformity upon the screen.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

JOHN N. THOMAS.

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